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New York Dolls
Academy 2, Manchester
July 3rd 2008
It was one of those nights where you think "why am I here" most of the clientele are chubby 50 year olds, old punk t-shirts and "is there any bitter on?' crowd. the only youngster I see is a 12 year old in an Explioted T-shirt, and he's with his Dad.... The New York Dolls? Damn is it 1973?..
The support band look like the crowd in the pub, not bad for their age but in no way, errr, cutting edge. I return to the bar where I notice some 20 sommerts' arrive, why are they here? oh I should be at home, hold on the Dolls are in 5 mins I'll hang on.
The NYD take the stage, the singer is a bus pass Jagger, the rythm guitarist looks like a retired rent boy, the drummer is a skinhead and the the guy on lead is surely a smackhead (the bass player looks OK for a half-cut Mick Jones). Ok I'll hang on. Here we go.. the band kick into 'Babylon', I remember this, a funky punky number from back in the day, the guitarist rocks and that singer belts out a tune like an old bluesman, to be fair it's pretty good. I get another pint in, when I return the guitarist is stage front waving his hands about, I smile, I like the new tune the band are playing.
Two or three numbers in and I think, well it should be a good night, they dedicate a number to Janis Joplin, I recognise it, my feet move slightly, i'll stick around It's been a long time since I saw this kinda Blue eyed soul, maybe it's the beer, but they are cutting it.
Somewhere around 10.30 singer David Johannson is directing the growing moshpit through a chours of 'whooaoohao, ye gotta dance like a Monkey, dance like a monkey, and I'm thinking this is as good a show as I've seen in months! The guy next to me is a 5ft nowt Ian Dury look-a-like in Jam shoes, to my left is a 18 year girl with a rockabilly bob and 'tats', both go wild when the opening chords of New York Dolls classic 'Jet Boy' kick in. By the time it ends I am 3 people from the front..."jet boy cries.......Jet Boy lost my baby"(thats what I was singing anyway) , and I'm lost in the sheer fun of the whole thing. When the band leave the stage I'm like a teenager again, whooping and shouting more!
OK, OK I'll admit it, they were great...gig of the year, yea whatever, The New York Dolls tonight gave me a hint of what they once were, but most importantly what they still are/could be.
Thank f**k I didn't go early, see ya next year, down the front.
